A US judge has allowed the to issue subpoenas to several members of President Donald Trump’s inner circle as part of the broadcaster’s defence against Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit over a .
At a hearing in Miami on Tuesday, US Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett ruled that the subpoenas sought by the BBC were reasonable given the scope of Trump’s lawsuit. However, she indicated that some of the requested information may need to be narrowed before being produced.
Judge permits subpoenas
The subpoenas target several prominent Trump allies and family members, including Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller and Michael Flynn.
The BBC is seeking emails, text messages and other communications related to the “Stop the Steal” rally held on January 6, 2021, as well as Trump’s broader efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election.
The broadcaster has also requested records that were previously provided by the subpoena recipients to federal investigators.
Lawsuit over BBC documentary
Trump filed the in December, alleging that a BBC documentary released in 2024 falsely portrayed his role in the events leading up to the January 6 Capitol attack.
The before the riot. Trump alleges the documentary misleadingly edited the footage to make it appear that he had directly called for violence before his supporters stormed the .
The BBC apologised for the editing error in November, but the apology did not prevent Trump from pursuing legal action.
BBC argues subpoenas are key to defence
The broadcaster has argued that, to succeed in his defamation claim, Trump must prove that the documentary falsely accused him of inciting the Capitol attack.
According to the BBC, communications from Trump’s closest advisers and family members could help establish Trump’s state of mind and actions surrounding the events of January 6, making the subpoenaed material relevant to its defence.
The ruling allows the BBC to move forward with discovery in one of the highest-profile defamation cases involving a sitting US president, although the exact scope of the subpoenas may still be refined by the court.
(With Bloomberg inputs)
